Hours after Mamata Banerjee extended her support to Congress in Nandigram, the party's bypoll candidate, Milan Pradhan, was arrested on Friday in an old murder case. The same day, her own candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, had withdrawn from the race after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, leaving her camp without a nominee. West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president Subhankar Sarkar called the arrest proof that the BJP is pushing for "one-party rule" in the state.&nbsp;Speaking to reporters on Friday, Sarkar said Pradhan had raised concerns just before his arrest. "Milan Pradhan had said that an atmosphere of fear was being created," Sarkar said. "Fifteen minutes after that phone conversation, he was arrested. When asked why he was arrested, no reason was given."Sarkar said Congress leader Tata Bhattacharya was also taken into custody. He said he had warned police in advance. "The day before yesterday, I told the IC not to obstruct our campaign," he said. "This same IC was in place in 2021 as well."&nbsp;He said the party could get no answers about the arrests. "Every police station says 'we don't know.' No police officer can say, and even the Commission cannot say."&nbsp;Sarkar accused the BJP of working toward a single-party system. "The BJP says 'One Nation, One Vote.' So will there be only one political party?" he asked. "We will go to the High Court."&nbsp;He also targeted the Chief Minister over the bypoll. "This is the first election they have to face since the Assembly election, and they want to loot votes," Sarkar said. "When he was Leader of Opposition, he used to say Trinamool was looting votes. What is this?"&nbsp;Turning to the Election Commission's decision to split the Trinamool Congress, Sarkar questioned its role. "We want to ask the BJP and the Election Commission: what was the Commission's role in the matter of registration and the symbol?" he said. "Just as the Commission helped earlier in vote theft, it has now helped in symbol theft." Sarkar announced a programme of agitation. "We will go to court tomorrow. From tomorrow,&nbsp; Congress will hold protests in front of every police station. After that, we will give a call for 'Nandigram Chalo'," he said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/inside-tata-sons-boardroom-battle-chandra-s-return-listing-and-noel-tata-s-objection-1789738087203">Inside Tata Sons’ boardroom battle: Chandra’s return, listing and Noel Tata’s objection</a><h2>Background</h2>Sanchita Pradhan Dey, fielded by the Mamata faction, met Adhikari at Nabanna on Friday and then withdrew her nomination. Banerjee then announced her faction would back Congress in Nandigram instead of fielding another candidate. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the party had not asked for her support.&nbsp;An East Midnapore district police official said Pradhan is accused in an old murder case linked to the 2007 Nandigram violence and that a warrant had already been issued against him. The BJP's East Midnapore unit rejected the allegation of political motive and said the party had no connection with the arrest.&nbsp;The Election Commission also split the Trinamool Congress into two factions on Friday, assigning each a new name and symbol. The Mamata faction will contest as the "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress," and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee as the "Democratic Trinamool Congress."&nbsp;Nandigram, one of the two seats Adhikari won in the 2026 Assembly elections, goes to a bypoll on October 6 along with Rejinagar. Counting is scheduled for Oct 9.&nbsp;

Congress claimed that Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested hours after Mamata Banerjee announced her faction’s support for him and the Congress candidate.

Hours after Mamata Banerjee extended her support to Congress in Nandigram, the party's bypoll candidate, Milan Pradhan, was arrested on Friday in an old murder case. The same day, her own candidate, Sanchita Pradhan Dey, had withdrawn from the race after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, leaving her camp without a nominee. West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) president Subhankar Sarkar called the arrest proof that the BJP is pushing for "one-party rule" in the state. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Sarkar said Pradhan had raised concerns just before his arrest. "Milan Pradhan had said that an atmosphere of fear was being created," Sarkar said. "Fifteen minutes after that phone conversation, he was arrested. When asked why he was arrested, no reason was given." Sarkar said Congress leader Tata Bhattacharya was also taken into custody. He said he had warned police in advance. "The day before yesterday, I told the IC not to obstruct our campaign," he said. "This same IC was in place in 2021 as well." He said the party could get no answers about the arrests. "Every police station says 'we don't know.' No police officer can say, and even the Commission cannot say." Sarkar accused the BJP of working toward a single-party system. "The BJP says 'One Nation, One Vote.' So will there be only one political party?" he asked. "We will go to the High Court." He also targeted the Chief Minister over the bypoll. "This is the first election they have to face since the Assembly election, and they want to loot votes," Sarkar said. "When he was Leader of Opposition, he used to say Trinamool was looting votes. What is this?" Turning to the Election Commission's decision to split the Trinamool Congress, Sarkar questioned its role. "We want to ask the BJP and the Election Commission: what was the Commission's role in the matter of registration and the symbol?" he said. "Just as the Commission helped earlier in vote theft, it has now helped in symbol theft." Sarkar announced a programme of agitation. "We will go to court tomorrow. From tomorrow, Congress will hold protests in front of every police station. After that, we will give a call for 'Nandigram Chalo'," he said. Also Read: Inside Tata Sons’ boardroom battle: Chandra’s return, listing and Noel Tata’s objection Background Sanchita Pradhan Dey, fielded by the Mamata faction, met Adhikari at Nabanna on Friday and then withdrew her nomination. Banerjee then announced her faction would back Congress in Nandigram instead of fielding another candidate. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the party had not asked for her support. An East Midnapore district police official said Pradhan is accused in an old murder case linked to the 2007 Nandigram violence and that a warrant had already been issued against him. The BJP's East Midnapore unit rejected the allegation of political motive and said the party had no connection with the arrest. The Election Commission also split the Trinamool Congress into two factions on Friday, assigning each a new name and symbol. The Mamata faction will contest as the "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress," and the rebel faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee as the "Democratic Trinamool Congress." Nandigram, one of the two seats Adhikari won in the 2026 Assembly elections, goes to a bypoll on October 6 along with Rejinagar. Counting is scheduled for Oct 9.

Congress claimed that Nandigram bypoll candidate Milan Pradhan was arrested hours after Mamata Banerjee announced her faction’s support for him and the Congress candidate.

Hours after Mamata backs Congress in Nandigram, its candidate is arrested; her own nominee had quit after meeting CM

In classic 'khela hobe' fashion, the Election Commission of India has tentatively allotted the Arup Roy-led group the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ with an envelope symbol, while Mamata Banerjee's group has been allotted ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ with a football player symbol, interim arrangements meant to hold until the underlying ownership dispute over the party's original identity is resolved.&nbsp;The allotments cap a frantic 24 hours after the ECI froze the Trinamool Congress' iconic ‘twin flowers and grass’ symbol and name on September 17, barring both the Mamata Banerjee faction and the Ritabrata Banerjee faction from using the original party identity in the upcoming October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, polls that carry outsized symbolic weight after Mamata's 15-year hold on the state government.&nbsp;By Friday's 11 am deadline, both camps had submitted their wish lists to the Commission. The Ritabrata faction, which commands the backing of most sitting legislators, wanted to keep ‘Trinamool’ alive in whatever name it was given next. The Mamata camp, by contrast, pushed for her own name front and center, proposing ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ among its options, alongside a football player as its preferred symbol, with a cricket bat as backup.&nbsp;Reactions from the two sides diverged sharply. Ritabrata Banerjee framed the ruling as a vindication of constitutional process, posting that politics is ‘a permanent war; a war at every hour; a war at every minute’. Opposition Chief Whip Akhruzzaman, a Ritabrata loyalist, said his side would comply with the order for now while remaining confident that when the EC gives its final verdict, we will get the official and original name and symbol.&nbsp;On the other side, Mamata loyalist and MP Kalyan Banerjee rejected the order outright, calling it ‘contrary to law’ and citing what he described as legal infirmities in how it was framed, while signaling the camp would respond by the following morning. Fellow loyalist Kunal Ghosh took a more combative, almost theatrical tack, reportedly suggesting the rival faction should apply for the 'pillow' symbol, literally listed at number 116 on the ECI's roster, and insisting Mamata still has backup plans in reserve.&nbsp;Behind the scenes, the stakes appear to be climbing further. Sources indicate the Mamata camp, including MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, held extended legal consultations in Delhi over whether to challenge the ECI's interim order at the Supreme Court, weighing whether a court fight could actually deliver relief before the bypolls, or simply invite delay. Adding a national dimension to the standoff, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reportedly phoned Mamata Banerjee late Thursday night to convey that the fight over the Trinamool identity was not hers alone, but a cause the wider opposition intended to back.&nbsp;The symbolism cuts deep: the twin-flower emblem has represented Mamata's political journey since she broke from the Congress in 1997 and launched the Trinamool Congress on January 1, 1998. Twenty-eight years, a Kolkata Municipal Corporation win, the Singur and Nandigram movements, and three terms as Chief Minister later, that emblem now sits outside her camp's control, at least until the Commission's final word.

The allotments cap a frantic 24 hours after the ECI froze the Trinamool Congress' iconic ‘twin flowers and grass’ symbol and name on September 17

In classic 'khela hobe' fashion, the Election Commission of India has tentatively allotted the Arup Roy-led group the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ with an envelope symbol, while Mamata Banerjee's group has been allotted ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ with a football player symbol, interim arrangements meant to hold until the underlying ownership dispute over the party's original identity is resolved. The allotments cap a frantic 24 hours after the ECI froze the Trinamool Congress' iconic ‘twin flowers and grass’ symbol and name on September 17, barring both the Mamata Banerjee faction and the Ritabrata Banerjee faction from using the original party identity in the upcoming October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, polls that carry outsized symbolic weight after Mamata's 15-year hold on the state government. By Friday's 11 am deadline, both camps had submitted their wish lists to the Commission. The Ritabrata faction, which commands the backing of most sitting legislators, wanted to keep ‘Trinamool’ alive in whatever name it was given next. The Mamata camp, by contrast, pushed for her own name front and center, proposing ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ among its options, alongside a football player as its preferred symbol, with a cricket bat as backup. Reactions from the two sides diverged sharply. Ritabrata Banerjee framed the ruling as a vindication of constitutional process, posting that politics is ‘a permanent war; a war at every hour; a war at every minute’. Opposition Chief Whip Akhruzzaman, a Ritabrata loyalist, said his side would comply with the order for now while remaining confident that when the EC gives its final verdict, we will get the official and original name and symbol. On the other side, Mamata loyalist and MP Kalyan Banerjee rejected the order outright, calling it ‘contrary to law’ and citing what he described as legal infirmities in how it was framed, while signaling the camp would respond by the following morning. Fellow loyalist Kunal Ghosh took a more combative, almost theatrical tack, reportedly suggesting the rival faction should apply for the 'pillow' symbol, literally listed at number 116 on the ECI's roster, and insisting Mamata still has backup plans in reserve. Behind the scenes, the stakes appear to be climbing further. Sources indicate the Mamata camp, including MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Mahua Moitra, held extended legal consultations in Delhi over whether to challenge the ECI's interim order at the Supreme Court, weighing whether a court fight could actually deliver relief before the bypolls, or simply invite delay. Adding a national dimension to the standoff, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reportedly phoned Mamata Banerjee late Thursday night to convey that the fight over the Trinamool identity was not hers alone, but a cause the wider opposition intended to back. The symbolism cuts deep: the twin-flower emblem has represented Mamata's political journey since she broke from the Congress in 1997 and launched the Trinamool Congress on January 1, 1998. Twenty-eight years, a Kolkata Municipal Corporation win, the Singur and Nandigram movements, and three terms as Chief Minister later, that emblem now sits outside her camp's control, at least until the Commission's final word.

The allotments cap a frantic 24 hours after the ECI froze the Trinamool Congress' iconic ‘twin flowers and grass’ symbol and name on Thursday (September 17)

Football player and envelope: Mamata Banerjee's camp, rebels get new name, symbol

The Election Commission of India has thrown the battle for the Trinamool Congress's identity into a freeze, ahead of the crucial bypolls, as neither warring faction can use the party's name or its iconic twin-flower symbol until the dispute is settled for good.The showdown reached Delhi on Thursday, when West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee led his five-member delegation before the Election Commission's full bench, squaring off against a rival team representing Mamata Banerjee.&nbsp;Both camps insist they are the "real" Trinamool Congress, and both want it on record ahead of by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Nominations closed a day earlier, scrutiny wrapped up Thursday, and both sides had filed the mandatory Forms A and B, effectively daring the Commission to pick a winner on the spot.It declined to. In its interim order, the Commission noted it found "two rival groups within the All India Trinamool Congress — one led by Ms. Mamata Banerjee and the other by Ritabrata Banerjee — each claiming to be the de facto party," concluding that the standoff demands a full hearing under paragraph 15 of the Symbols Order, 1968. Until that final ruling, the order states plainly that neither the Roy-led petitioners nor the Banerjee-led respondents "shall be permitted to use the name 'All India Trinamool Congress'" or its symbol in the bypolls.Instead, the Commission has told both sides to come back with alternatives — fast. By 11:00 AM on September 18, 2026, each faction must submit three alternative names, in order of preference, along with three free symbols they'd accept as substitutes, leaving the final pick to the Commission.Speaking to reporters after the hearing earlier in the day, Ritabrata Banerjee said, "We met the Election Commission's full bench today... The process now lies with the Election Commission and the Returning Officer... The Election Commission is the apex body; we must have faith in it." He confirmed his side had filed Form A as the Trinamool Congress, but acknowledged the Kalighat camp had done the same — leaving the Commission as the only tiebreaker.Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, was far more combative. He questioned the legitimacy of his rivals' claim outright, asking how they could contest on the party symbol at all if the chairperson's term had "allegedly ended in 2025." Mamata Banerjee founded the party, he argued, and any valid leadership change must follow a bottom-up organisational election across a multi-state party — not, he suggested, a hastily convened June 22 session that bypassed MPs entirely. He also maintained that court proceedings shouldn't tie the Commission's hands.The Kalighat side went further, proposing a show of strength at Brigade Parade Ground to let the Commission gauge real organisational muscle, while urging it to stay its hand given parallel litigation already in the courts.Trinamool Congress was born on January 1, 1998, when Mamata Banerjee broke away from the Congress, coining "Trinamool" — Bengali for "grassroots" — to mark a clean break and claim closeness to ordinary people. The party's election symbol, Jora Ghas Phul (twin flowers with grass), was registered at the same time, evoking roots and growth. For two decades the logo still carried the Congress legacy, until March 2019, when the party dropped "Congress" from its branding altogether on its 21st anniversary, keeping just "Trinamool" beside the twin-flower emblem — though it stayed officially registered with the EC as Trinamool Congress. That nearly 30-year-old name and symbol are now the prize both rival factions were fighting to claim.The parallels to the Shiv Sena split are hard to miss — there too, the EC froze the original symbol and handed both factions temporary names and symbols pending a final verdict.&nbsp;

The Election Commission has barred both TMC factions from using the party name and Flowers & Grass symbol in upcoming bypolls pending a final decision.

The Election Commission of India has thrown the battle for the Trinamool Congress's identity into a freeze, ahead of the crucial bypolls, as neither warring faction can use the party's name or its iconic twin-flower symbol until the dispute is settled for good. The showdown reached Delhi on Thursday, when West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee led his five-member delegation before the Election Commission's full bench, squaring off against a rival team representing Mamata Banerjee. Both camps insist they are the "real" Trinamool Congress, and both want it on record ahead of by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Nominations closed a day earlier, scrutiny wrapped up Thursday, and both sides had filed the mandatory Forms A and B, effectively daring the Commission to pick a winner on the spot. It declined to. In its interim order, the Commission noted it found "two rival groups within the All India Trinamool Congress — one led by Ms. Mamata Banerjee and the other by Ritabrata Banerjee — each claiming to be the de facto party," concluding that the standoff demands a full hearing under paragraph 15 of the Symbols Order, 1968. Until that final ruling, the order states plainly that neither the Roy-led petitioners nor the Banerjee-led respondents "shall be permitted to use the name 'All India Trinamool Congress'" or its symbol in the bypolls. Instead, the Commission has told both sides to come back with alternatives — fast. By 11:00 AM on September 18, 2026, each faction must submit three alternative names, in order of preference, along with three free symbols they'd accept as substitutes, leaving the final pick to the Commission. Speaking to reporters after the hearing earlier in the day, Ritabrata Banerjee said, "We met the Election Commission's full bench today... The process now lies with the Election Commission and the Returning Officer... The Election Commission is the apex body; we must have faith in it." He confirmed his side had filed Form A as the Trinamool Congress, but acknowledged the Kalighat camp had done the same — leaving the Commission as the only tiebreaker. Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, was far more combative. He questioned the legitimacy of his rivals' claim outright, asking how they could contest on the party symbol at all if the chairperson's term had "allegedly ended in 2025." Mamata Banerjee founded the party, he argued, and any valid leadership change must follow a bottom-up organisational election across a multi-state party — not, he suggested, a hastily convened June 22 session that bypassed MPs entirely. He also maintained that court proceedings shouldn't tie the Commission's hands. The Kalighat side went further, proposing a show of strength at Brigade Parade Ground to let the Commission gauge real organisational muscle, while urging it to stay its hand given parallel litigation already in the courts. Trinamool Congress was born on January 1, 1998, when Mamata Banerjee broke away from the Congress, coining "Trinamool" — Bengali for "grassroots" — to mark a clean break and claim closeness to ordinary people. The party's election symbol, Jora Ghas Phul (twin flowers with grass), was registered at the same time, evoking roots and growth. For two decades the logo still carried the Congress legacy, until March 2019, when the party dropped "Congress" from its branding altogether on its 21st anniversary, keeping just "Trinamool" beside the twin-flower emblem — though it stayed officially registered with the EC as Trinamool Congress. That nearly 30-year-old name and symbol are now the prize both rival factions were fighting to claim. The parallels to the Shiv Sena split are hard to miss — there too, the EC froze the original symbol and handed both factions temporary names and symbols pending a final verdict.

The Election Commission has barred both TMC factions from using the party name and Flowers &amp; Grass symbol in upcoming bypolls pending a final decision.

EC freezes TMC name, symbol; Mamata and Ritabrata factions told to pick alternatives

The Election Commission of India is expected to decide the bitter contest for the Trinamool Congress name and its iconic ‘jora phool’ (twin-flower) symbol on Friday, sources said, after West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee met the full bench in Delhi on Thursday.&nbsp;Both Ritabrata’s faction and the Mamata Banerjee-led group claim to be the authentic party ahead of the crucial Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls.&nbsp;&nbsp;Nominations closed Wednesday and scrutiny took place on Thursday, leaving symbol allotment as the immediate flashpoint. Both sides have submitted Forms A and B, forcing the Commission to adjudicate.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-plea-against-delhi-sir-on-priority-after-deletion-of-47-lakh-voters-1789652385281">Supreme Court agrees to hear plea against Delhi SIR on priority after deletion of 47 lakh voters</a>&nbsp;Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee said, “We met the Election Commission’s full bench today… We presented our arguments and addressed the queries raised regarding the by-elections in Rejinagar and Nandigram. Yesterday was the deadline for filing nominations for these by-elections, and scrutiny took place today, so the issue of symbol allotment is now pending. We have submitted Forms A and B; however, Forms A and B have also been submitted from Kalighat, so the Election Commission must make the final decision.”&nbsp;“We are representing the Trinamool Congress and have submitted Form A. The process now lies with the Election Commission and the Returning Officer, who will likely make a decision after consulting the Commission… The Election Commission is the apex body; we must have faith in it. We operate within a parliamentary democracy, so we have to trust the Election Commission,” he added.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-drone-firm-linked-to-trump-s-sons-signs-mou-with-pakistan-army-gets-initial-order-1789648161978">US drone firm linked to Trump’s sons signs MoU with Pakistan army, gets initial order</a>&nbsp;Senior leader Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, countered that the rival faction has no basis for interim relief. He questioned how the other side obtained tickets and contested on the party symbol if the chairperson’s term had allegedly ended in 2025. Kalyan stressed that Mamata Banerjee founded the party and the symbol belongs to her side. He argued that any valid election must follow the constitutional hierarchy from booth level upwards and that the claimed 22 June session skipped all processes without notice to MPs. As a multi-state party, AITC requires proper all-India elections, he said, adding that court orders do not bind the Election Commission and the symbol can go only to the authorised faction.&nbsp;The Kalighat group also proposed that both sides summon their workers to Brigade Parade Ground so the Commission can see the real strength on the ground. They further urged the EC not to issue any interim order on matters already before the courts, noting one cannot approach both forums simultaneously.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-treasury-rallies-global-financial-institutions-for-op-economic-outcast-to-isolate-iran-1789588781387">US Treasury rallies global financial institutions for Op Economic Outcast to isolate Iran</a>&nbsp;The episode echoes the Shiv Sena split in Maharashtra, where the EC froze the original symbol and allotted temporary names and symbols to both factions. A similar outcome remains possible here.&nbsp;The Commission’s decision will determine which camp—or neither—gets to contest the bypolls under the familiar ‘Jora Phool’. The ruling carries high political stakes in West Bengal, testing organisational claims and potentially reshaping the opposition landscape ahead of larger electoral battles. Both sides have expressed faith in the EC as the final arbiter.

Senior leader Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, countered that the rival faction has no basis for interim relief. He questioned how the other side obtained tickets and contested on the party symbol if the chairperson’s term had allegedly ended in 2025.

The Election Commission of India is expected to decide the bitter contest for the Trinamool Congress name and its iconic ‘jora phool’ (twin-flower) symbol on Friday, sources said, after West Bengal Leader of Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee met the full bench in Delhi on Thursday. Both Ritabrata’s faction and the Mamata Banerjee-led group claim to be the authentic party ahead of the crucial Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls. Nominations closed Wednesday and scrutiny took place on Thursday, leaving symbol allotment as the immediate flashpoint. Both sides have submitted Forms A and B, forcing the Commission to adjudicate. Also Read: Supreme Court agrees to hear plea against Delhi SIR on priority after deletion of 47 lakh voters Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Ritabrata Banerjee said, “We met the Election Commission’s full bench today… We presented our arguments and addressed the queries raised regarding the by-elections in Rejinagar and Nandigram. Yesterday was the deadline for filing nominations for these by-elections, and scrutiny took place today, so the issue of symbol allotment is now pending. We have submitted Forms A and B; however, Forms A and B have also been submitted from Kalighat, so the Election Commission must make the final decision.” “We are representing the Trinamool Congress and have submitted Form A. The process now lies with the Election Commission and the Returning Officer, who will likely make a decision after consulting the Commission… The Election Commission is the apex body; we must have faith in it. We operate within a parliamentary democracy, so we have to trust the Election Commission,” he added. Also Read: US drone firm linked to Trump’s sons signs MoU with Pakistan army, gets initial order Senior leader Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, countered that the rival faction has no basis for interim relief. He questioned how the other side obtained tickets and contested on the party symbol if the chairperson’s term had allegedly ended in 2025. Kalyan stressed that Mamata Banerjee founded the party and the symbol belongs to her side. He argued that any valid election must follow the constitutional hierarchy from booth level upwards and that the claimed 22 June session skipped all processes without notice to MPs. As a multi-state party, AITC requires proper all-India elections, he said, adding that court orders do not bind the Election Commission and the symbol can go only to the authorised faction. The Kalighat group also proposed that both sides summon their workers to Brigade Parade Ground so the Commission can see the real strength on the ground. They further urged the EC not to issue any interim order on matters already before the courts, noting one cannot approach both forums simultaneously. Also Read: US Treasury rallies global financial institutions for Op Economic Outcast to isolate Iran The episode echoes the Shiv Sena split in Maharashtra, where the EC froze the original symbol and allotted temporary names and symbols to both factions. A similar outcome remains possible here. The Commission’s decision will determine which camp—or neither—gets to contest the bypolls under the familiar ‘Jora Phool’. The ruling carries high political stakes in West Bengal, testing organisational claims and potentially reshaping the opposition landscape ahead of larger electoral battles. Both sides have expressed faith in the EC as the final arbiter.

Senior leader Kalyan Banerjee, representing the Mamata camp, countered that the rival faction has no basis for interim relief. He questioned how the other side obtained tickets and contested on the party symbol if the chairperson’s term had allegedly ended in 2025.

EC decision on TMC symbol row likely on Friday as factions battle for ‘jora phool’

A personal video about a career journey has spiralled into a political controversy in West Bengal, after IPS officer Dr Bushara Bano was transferred within hours of right-wing group's objecting to the Islamic greetings she used in it.&nbsp;&nbsp;Bano, a 2021-batch officer, was serving as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur when she posted a YouTube video describing her path to the civil services — from returning from Saudi Arabia to preparing for the UPSC exam. She credited Aligarh Muslim University's Residential Coaching Academy for helping her succeed.&nbsp;"After returning from Saudi Arabia, I started preparing for the UPSC examination… AMU's RCA helped me a lot," she said in the video.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/war-will-be-completely-different-and-very-short-if-europe-attacks-russia-warns-lavrov-1789561780082">War will be ‘completely different and very short’ if Europe attacks Russia, warns Lavrov</a>&nbsp;The video drew swift backlash from a group calling itself Hindu Legal Fund, which said it had written to West Bengal Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh objecting to Bano opening with "Assalamu Alaikum," using "Inshallah," and closing with "Jazak Allah" — instead of, it said, "Vande Mataram" or "Jai Hind."&nbsp;"A serving officer representing the Indian state should maintain neutrality and use national expressions," the group posted on X.&nbsp;Within hours, the state government transferred Bano out of Kharagpur to the post of Deputy Commandant, SAP 4th Battalion, officially citing "public interest."&nbsp;Two West Bengal Police Service officers were reshuffled in the same order. Bano declined to comment when contacted.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/top-military-commanders-from-us-israel-and-7-arab-nations-held-secret-meeting-on-iran-war-1789503060237">Top military commanders from US, Israel, and 7 Arab nations held secret meeting on Iran War</a>&nbsp;The transfer triggered sharp political reactions. Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was offensive about words of blessing, arguing they reflected "patriotism... rooted in compassion, faith and goodwill — one that the bhakts will never understand."&nbsp;TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the move absurd, pointing to a Parliament inaugurated with sadhus and a sengol. "For a country whose Prime Minister inaugurated the new Parliament with a sengol and bare-chested sadhus, transferring a Muslim IPS officer for saying Assalamu Alaikum and Inshallah is ridiculous. We are a nation gone mad, poisoned with hate and bigotry. God Save India," she wrote.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-carried-out-over-350-airstrikes-on-yemen-violated-sovereignty-say-houthis-1789491294418">‘US military task force aiding Saudi Arabia forces with intel, planning support’: Official</a>&nbsp;TMC MP Sagarika Ghose posed a sharper question, asking if every Muslim officer in BJP-ruled Bengal must now undergo a "loyalty test," calling it a departure from Bengal's tradition of "civilised plurality and social harmony."&nbsp;The state government has offered no explanation beyond the formal transfer order, framing it as routine and in public interest. But the timing — hours after a complaint over an officer's choice of words in a personal video unrelated to her policing record — has made that explanation difficult to sustain but Dr Bushara Bano herself has chosen not to comment.

The transfer triggered sharp political reactions as Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was offensive about words of blessing. TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the move absurd, pointing to a Parliament inaugurated with sadhus and a sengol.

A personal video about a career journey has spiralled into a political controversy in West Bengal, after IPS officer Dr Bushara Bano was transferred within hours of right-wing group's objecting to the Islamic greetings she used in it. Bano, a 2021-batch officer, was serving as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur when she posted a YouTube video describing her path to the civil services — from returning from Saudi Arabia to preparing for the UPSC exam. She credited Aligarh Muslim University's Residential Coaching Academy for helping her succeed. "After returning from Saudi Arabia, I started preparing for the UPSC examination… AMU's RCA helped me a lot," she said in the video. Also Read: War will be ‘completely different and very short’ if Europe attacks Russia, warns Lavrov The video drew swift backlash from a group calling itself Hindu Legal Fund, which said it had written to West Bengal Home Secretary Sanghamitra Ghosh objecting to Bano opening with "Assalamu Alaikum," using "Inshallah," and closing with "Jazak Allah" — instead of, it said, "Vande Mataram" or "Jai Hind." "A serving officer representing the Indian state should maintain neutrality and use national expressions," the group posted on X. Within hours, the state government transferred Bano out of Kharagpur to the post of Deputy Commandant, SAP 4th Battalion, officially citing "public interest." Two West Bengal Police Service officers were reshuffled in the same order. Bano declined to comment when contacted. Also Read: Top military commanders from US, Israel, and 7 Arab nations held secret meeting on Iran War The transfer triggered sharp political reactions. Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was offensive about words of blessing, arguing they reflected "patriotism... rooted in compassion, faith and goodwill — one that the bhakts will never understand." TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the move absurd, pointing to a Parliament inaugurated with sadhus and a sengol. "For a country whose Prime Minister inaugurated the new Parliament with a sengol and bare-chested sadhus, transferring a Muslim IPS officer for saying Assalamu Alaikum and Inshallah is ridiculous. We are a nation gone mad, poisoned with hate and bigotry. God Save India," she wrote. Also Read: ‘US military task force aiding Saudi Arabia forces with intel, planning support’: Official TMC MP Sagarika Ghose posed a sharper question, asking if every Muslim officer in BJP-ruled Bengal must now undergo a "loyalty test," calling it a departure from Bengal's tradition of "civilised plurality and social harmony." The state government has offered no explanation beyond the formal transfer order, framing it as routine and in public interest. But the timing — hours after a complaint over an officer's choice of words in a personal video unrelated to her policing record — has made that explanation difficult to sustain but Dr Bushara Bano herself has chosen not to comment.

The transfer triggered sharp political reactions as Congress leader Pawan Khera questioned what was offensive about words of blessing. TMC MP Mahua Moitra called the move absurd, pointing to a Parliament inaugurated with sadhus and a sengol.

Opposition reacts to IPS officer’s transfer in Bengal after right-wing group objects to ‘Inshallah’ in personal video

Manipur's spiral of ethnic violence has claimed two more lives, with the killing of two Kuki women in Tamenglong district reigniting tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga communities, and prompting an extraordinary protest from a leading Kuki civil society body.According to police, unidentified gunmen opened fire in Tamenglong on Tuesday afternoon, killing 78-year-old Phalneichong, also known as Chonga Sitlhou, while she was out collecting firewood. At the same location, 28-year-old Kimjalhing, known as Kimneo Singson, was also shot dead. She had recently completed her nursing course and had returned home to help her parents with farming.The killings came just two days after four Kuki civilians were shot dead in the neighbouring Tamenglong and Noney districts, allegedly by Naga militants.The violence did not end there. Hours after Tuesday's shooting, around 10:30 pm, armed militants attacked Chawangkining, a Naga village in Kangpokpi district, setting at least two houses on fire and exchanging gunfire with security forces stationed in the area.The two communities have traded accusations of targeted killings through August and September. On August 27, alleged Kuki armed groups had killed four Naga civilians in Kangpokpi district, which has a Kuki majority.Reacting to Tuesday's killings, the Kuki-Zo Council said the recurring attacks could no longer be seen as unconnected events. In a statement, the Council said the killings — allegedly involving the NSCN-IM and the Zeliangrong United Front (Kamson) — reflected "an escalating pattern of attacks against Kuki-Zo civilians in Manipur," adding that the "continued targeting of civilians raises serious concerns about attempts to terrorise and drive Kuki-Zo communities from their settlements."The Council has called on both the state and central governments to protect civilians, bring perpetrators to justice, and take "firm, lawful action" against armed groups targeting non-combatants.In an unprecedented mark of protest, the Kuki-Zo Council has also instructed all Kuki-Zo civil society organisations that no Kuki-Zo person killed by Naga armed groups in Manipur will be buried until further notice. The bodies of victims, the Council said, will instead be preserved in the nearest available cold-storage facility pending further directions.The development adds a new and volatile dimension to Manipur's ongoing ethnic crisis, which has largely been defined by the conflict between Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities since violence first erupted in the state in 2023.

The Kuki-Zo Council instructed that no community members killed by Naga armed groups be buried until justice is served, following the murder of two Kuki women in Tamenglong, amid escalating ethnic tensions in Manipur.

Manipur's spiral of ethnic violence has claimed two more lives, with the killing of two Kuki women in Tamenglong district reigniting tensions between Kuki-Zo and Naga communities, and prompting an extraordinary protest from a leading Kuki civil society body. According to police, unidentified gunmen opened fire in Tamenglong on Tuesday afternoon, killing 78-year-old Phalneichong, also known as Chonga Sitlhou, while she was out collecting firewood. At the same location, 28-year-old Kimjalhing, known as Kimneo Singson, was also shot dead. She had recently completed her nursing course and had returned home to help her parents with farming. The killings came just two days after four Kuki civilians were shot dead in the neighbouring Tamenglong and Noney districts, allegedly by Naga militants. The violence did not end there. Hours after Tuesday's shooting, around 10:30 pm, armed militants attacked Chawangkining, a Naga village in Kangpokpi district, setting at least two houses on fire and exchanging gunfire with security forces stationed in the area. The two communities have traded accusations of targeted killings through August and September. On August 27, alleged Kuki armed groups had killed four Naga civilians in Kangpokpi district, which has a Kuki majority. Reacting to Tuesday's killings, the Kuki-Zo Council said the recurring attacks could no longer be seen as unconnected events. In a statement, the Council said the killings — allegedly involving the NSCN-IM and the Zeliangrong United Front (Kamson) — reflected "an escalating pattern of attacks against Kuki-Zo civilians in Manipur," adding that the "continued targeting of civilians raises serious concerns about attempts to terrorise and drive Kuki-Zo communities from their settlements." The Council has called on both the state and central governments to protect civilians, bring perpetrators to justice, and take "firm, lawful action" against armed groups targeting non-combatants. In an unprecedented mark of protest, the Kuki-Zo Council has also instructed all Kuki-Zo civil society organisations that no Kuki-Zo person killed by Naga armed groups in Manipur will be buried until further notice. The bodies of victims, the Council said, will instead be preserved in the nearest available cold-storage facility pending further directions. The development adds a new and volatile dimension to Manipur's ongoing ethnic crisis, which has largely been defined by the conflict between Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities since violence first erupted in the state in 2023.

The Kuki-Zo Council instructed that no community members killed by Naga armed groups be buried until justice is served, following the murder of two Kuki women in Tamenglong, amid escalating ethnic tensions in Manipur.

‘No burial till justice’: Kuki-Zo council's chilling protest after twin killings in Manipur

The tide has turned.For decades, hilsa flowed one way, from Bangladesh's rivers straight into Bengal's markets. Now, India is sending the prized fish across the border, and Bangladesh can't get enough of it.Over the past two months, India has shipped roughly 500 tonnes of hilsa to Bangladesh, according to govt of India. Traders expect another 150-200 tonnes to cross in the coming weeks — a surge driven largely by a slump in Bangladesh's own domestic catch.Much of the fish isn't even Bengali by origin. A large share has come from Gujarat's Bharuch region, while additional consignments have moved through West Bengal's Howrah wholesale fish market, long the nerve centre of the state's fish trade. Once across the border, the hilsa finds eager buyers: fish carrying high roe content is fetching strong demand in Chattogram and Sylhet, with some roe processed further for re-export, and other portions salted and dried.Dr. Pradip Dey, Director of ICAR-CIFRI, called the export surge "a strong market signal reflecting the exceptional consumer preference, economic value and regional demand for this iconic fish." He added that for West Bengal, it's a chance to build "a knowledge-driven, sustainable and value-added Hilsa economy."But the celebration comes with a caution. Scientists are warning that rising export demand could tempt heavier fishing pressure on wild stocks already under strain. The remedy, they say, lies in enforcing existing West Bengal government gazette rules — stricter policing of juvenile catches during March-May, keeping gillnet mesh sizes above 90mm to spare undersized fish under 500g, and honouring seasonal fishing bans around Mahalaya-Kali Puja and Holi, when hilsa migrate upstream to spawn.Dr. Ranjan Kumar Manna, HoD at ICAR-CIFRI, framed conservation as forward-looking investment: "Hilsa conservation is an investment in the future of the fishery." He pointed to protecting migration corridors and salinity balance, along with breeding advances, as the foundation for "sustainable Hilsa fisheries in the Hooghly–Sundarban ecosystem."The Sundarban's Saptamukhi, Matla, Thakuran and Herobhanga rivers, meanwhile, remain thin on hilsa — a consequence, researchers say, of reduced freshwater flow altering salinity patterns, something restoration and careful dredging could help reverse.&nbsp;

India has shipped around 500 tonnes of hilsa to Bangladesh in two months as domestic catches slump, but scientists warn of pressure on wild stocks.

The tide has turned. For decades, hilsa flowed one way, from Bangladesh's rivers straight into Bengal's markets. Now, India is sending the prized fish across the border, and Bangladesh can't get enough of it. Over the past two months, India has shipped roughly 500 tonnes of hilsa to Bangladesh, according to govt of India. Traders expect another 150-200 tonnes to cross in the coming weeks — a surge driven largely by a slump in Bangladesh's own domestic catch. Much of the fish isn't even Bengali by origin. A large share has come from Gujarat's Bharuch region, while additional consignments have moved through West Bengal's Howrah wholesale fish market, long the nerve centre of the state's fish trade. Once across the border, the hilsa finds eager buyers: fish carrying high roe content is fetching strong demand in Chattogram and Sylhet, with some roe processed further for re-export, and other portions salted and dried. Dr. Pradip Dey, Director of ICAR-CIFRI, called the export surge "a strong market signal reflecting the exceptional consumer preference, economic value and regional demand for this iconic fish." He added that for West Bengal, it's a chance to build "a knowledge-driven, sustainable and value-added Hilsa economy." But the celebration comes with a caution. Scientists are warning that rising export demand could tempt heavier fishing pressure on wild stocks already under strain. The remedy, they say, lies in enforcing existing West Bengal government gazette rules — stricter policing of juvenile catches during March-May, keeping gillnet mesh sizes above 90mm to spare undersized fish under 500g, and honouring seasonal fishing bans around Mahalaya-Kali Puja and Holi, when hilsa migrate upstream to spawn. Dr. Ranjan Kumar Manna, HoD at ICAR-CIFRI, framed conservation as forward-looking investment: "Hilsa conservation is an investment in the future of the fishery." He pointed to protecting migration corridors and salinity balance, along with breeding advances, as the foundation for "sustainable Hilsa fisheries in the Hooghly–Sundarban ecosystem." The Sundarban's Saptamukhi, Matla, Thakuran and Herobhanga rivers, meanwhile, remain thin on hilsa — a consequence, researchers say, of reduced freshwater flow altering salinity patterns, something restoration and careful dredging could help reverse.

India has shipped around 500 tonnes of hilsa to Bangladesh in two months as domestic catches slump, but scientists warn of pressure on wild stocks.

Hilsa diplomacy in reverse: What's driving India's surprise fish export surge

Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) on Tuesday sentenced seven senior leaders of the now-banned Awami League to death for crimes against humanity, holding them responsible for directing and inciting deadly violence during last year's student-led protests known as the July Uprising.&nbsp;The three-member bench, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury and including Justices Md Manzurul Basid and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, delivered the verdict against Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader among others. All seven were tried in absentia and represented by state-appointed lawyers, as none of the accused had appeared before the tribunal.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-gets-a-blow-from-us-supreme-court-over-mail-in-voting-why-is-it-so-important-and-how-it-works-1789455581552">Trump gets a blow from US Supreme Court over mail-in voting: Why is it so important and how it works</a>&nbsp;Also sentenced were Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, former state minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, and Chhatra League President Saddam Hussain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan.The tribunal ordered the confiscation of half the movable and immovable assets of five of the convicts, excluding Saddam and Enan, to be distributed among families of those killed and injured in the uprising.&nbsp;According to prosecutors, the accused conspired in state meetings during the movement to plan killings, with evidence drawn from audio and video recordings submitted to the tribunal. Prosecutors further alleged that Quader had directly ordered security forces to open fire on protesters, triggering indiscriminate shooting that continued until Hasina's government fell on August 5, 2024.&nbsp;Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam had earlier told the tribunal during closing arguments that all charges against the accused were proven and that they bore responsibility for the killing and injury of large numbers of people during the uprising, while defence counsel sought acquittal.&nbsp;The verdict comes roughly ten months after the same tribunal sentenced deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia over the crackdown, a ruling that drew sharp criticism from rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch over fair-trial concerns.&nbsp;The United Nations has estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed, most by security forces' gunfire, during the unrest that ultimately ended Hasina's 15-year rule. Hasina has been living in exile in India since fleeing Dhaka, and last month said she intends to return to Bangladesh in December despite the threat of imprisonment or execution.The verdict can be appealed before Bangladesh's Supreme Court.

The three-member bench, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury and including Justices Md Manzurul Basid and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, delivered the verdict against Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader among others. 

Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal-2 (ICT-2) on Tuesday sentenced seven senior leaders of the now-banned Awami League to death for crimes against humanity, holding them responsible for directing and inciting deadly violence during last year's student-led protests known as the July Uprising. The three-member bench, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury and including Justices Md Manzurul Basid and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, delivered the verdict against Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader among others. All seven were tried in absentia and represented by state-appointed lawyers, as none of the accused had appeared before the tribunal. Also read: Trump gets a blow from US Supreme Court over mail-in voting: Why is it so important and how it works Also sentenced were Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, former state minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat, Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, and Chhatra League President Saddam Hussain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan. The tribunal ordered the confiscation of half the movable and immovable assets of five of the convicts, excluding Saddam and Enan, to be distributed among families of those killed and injured in the uprising. According to prosecutors, the accused conspired in state meetings during the movement to plan killings, with evidence drawn from audio and video recordings submitted to the tribunal. Prosecutors further alleged that Quader had directly ordered security forces to open fire on protesters, triggering indiscriminate shooting that continued until Hasina's government fell on August 5, 2024. Chief Prosecutor Md Aminul Islam had earlier told the tribunal during closing arguments that all charges against the accused were proven and that they bore responsibility for the killing and injury of large numbers of people during the uprising, while defence counsel sought acquittal. The verdict comes roughly ten months after the same tribunal sentenced deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia over the crackdown, a ruling that drew sharp criticism from rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch over fair-trial concerns. The United Nations has estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed, most by security forces' gunfire, during the unrest that ultimately ended Hasina's 15-year rule. Hasina has been living in exile in India since fleeing Dhaka, and last month said she intends to return to Bangladesh in December despite the threat of imprisonment or execution. The verdict can be appealed before Bangladesh's Supreme Court.

The three-member bench, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury and including Justices Md Manzurul Basid and Nur Mohammad Shahriar Kabir, delivered the verdict against Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader among others.&nbsp;

Bangladesh war crimes tribunal sentences seven Awami League leaders to death over July Uprising crackdown

The Bharatiya Janata Party has named Hasirani Rath as its candidate for the Nandigram Assembly by-election in West Bengal, scheduled for October 6, 2026. She is the mother of Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant and close aide to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who was shot dead in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, on the night of May 6, 2026—just two days after the assembly election results.&nbsp;Hasirani Rath, a five-time winner of panchayat and panchayat samiti elections and a former Trinamool Congress worker who later joined the BJP along with her family when Adhikari switched parties, expressed readiness and happiness at being given the responsibility. Reports indicate she is set to file her nomination, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expected to be present. She has described Adhikari as the “guardian” of her family since her son’s death and stated she would accept any responsibility entrusted by the party leadership with full devotion.&nbsp;Chandranath Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur, served as Adhikari’s trusted executive assistant and was involved in organisational and election-related work. His killing, carried out in a planned ambush involving motorcycle-borne assailants and a blocking vehicle, sparked a major political controversy. Hasirani Rath had publicly alleged it was political revenge linked to Adhikari’s victories (including against Mamata Banerjee), while the CBI later filed a chargesheet alleging a multi-state conspiracy involving contract killers.&nbsp;The Nandigram seat fell vacant after Suvendu Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, chose to retain Bhabanipur (where he defeated Mamata Banerjee) and resigned from Nandigram. He had previously defeated Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021 by a narrow margin. Polling for the bypoll (along with Rejinagar) is on October 6, with counting on October 9. Nominations close around September 16.&nbsp;Rival factions of the Trinamool Congress have already named candidates: the Mamata Banerjee-led group has fielded Sanchita Pradhan (Dey), while the Ritabrata Banerjee faction has nominated Mohammad Ehetash Mul Haque (or similar). Other parties, including Congress (Milan Pradhan) and CPI (Shanti Gopal Giri), have also announced nominees. The bypoll is seen as an early test amid TMC’s internal split over the party’s name and symbol.&nbsp;Political observers note a parallel with past Nandigram contests, where “martyr’s mother” figures have been fielded. Hasirani Rath’s candidacy is expected to highlight issues of post-poll violence and political retaliation in the high-profile constituency long associated with the Adhikari family and the 2007 land movement. &nbsp;

Chandranath Rath was a former Indian Air Force personnel from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur. He served as Adhikari’s trusted executive assistant and was involved in organisational and election-related work.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has named Hasirani Rath as its candidate for the Nandigram Assembly by-election in West Bengal, scheduled for October 6, 2026. She is the mother of Chandranath Rath, the personal assistant and close aide to Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who was shot dead in Madhyamgram, North 24 Parganas, on the night of May 6, 2026—just two days after the assembly election results. Hasirani Rath, a five-time winner of panchayat and panchayat samiti elections and a former Trinamool Congress worker who later joined the BJP along with her family when Adhikari switched parties, expressed readiness and happiness at being given the responsibility. Reports indicate she is set to file her nomination, with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari expected to be present. She has described Adhikari as the “guardian” of her family since her son’s death and stated she would accept any responsibility entrusted by the party leadership with full devotion. Chandranath Rath, a former Indian Air Force personnel from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur, served as Adhikari’s trusted executive assistant and was involved in organisational and election-related work. His killing, carried out in a planned ambush involving motorcycle-borne assailants and a blocking vehicle, sparked a major political controversy. Hasirani Rath had publicly alleged it was political revenge linked to Adhikari’s victories (including against Mamata Banerjee), while the CBI later filed a chargesheet alleging a multi-state conspiracy involving contract killers. The Nandigram seat fell vacant after Suvendu Adhikari, who won both Nandigram and Bhabanipur in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, chose to retain Bhabanipur (where he defeated Mamata Banerjee) and resigned from Nandigram. He had previously defeated Banerjee in Nandigram in 2021 by a narrow margin. Polling for the bypoll (along with Rejinagar) is on October 6, with counting on October 9. Nominations close around September 16. Rival factions of the Trinamool Congress have already named candidates: the Mamata Banerjee-led group has fielded Sanchita Pradhan (Dey), while the Ritabrata Banerjee faction has nominated Mohammad Ehetash Mul Haque (or similar). Other parties, including Congress (Milan Pradhan) and CPI (Shanti Gopal Giri), have also announced nominees. The bypoll is seen as an early test amid TMC’s internal split over the party’s name and symbol. Political observers note a parallel with past Nandigram contests, where “martyr’s mother” figures have been fielded. Hasirani Rath’s candidacy is expected to highlight issues of post-poll violence and political retaliation in the high-profile constituency long associated with the Adhikari family and the 2007 land movement.

Chandranath Rath was a former Indian Air Force personnel from Chandipur in Purba Medinipur. He served as Adhikari’s trusted executive assistant and was involved in organisational and election-related work.

BJP fields Hasirani Rath, mother of slain aide Chandranath Rath, as candidate from Nandigram for October 6 bypoll

The Trinamool Congress has escalated its battle against the Ritabrata Banerjee camp by filing a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court accusing the West Bengal Assembly Speaker of sitting on disqualification pleas against rebel MLAs even as 17 of the 20 breakaway TMC MPs who joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) earlier this year are now preparing to formally cross over to the BJP around Durga Puja.&nbsp;The SLP, filed by Shobhandeb Chattopadhyay, names 10 MLAs: Ritabrata Banerjee, Arup Roy, Firhad Hakim, Sandipan Saha, Akhruzzaman, Shiuli Saha, Sabina Yasmin, Biplab Mitra, Javed Khan and Rathin Ghosh.&nbsp;Party MP Kalyan Banerjee said this is only the opening move, leaving the door open for the rest of the rebel camp. “We have given you some oxygen. First, we will seek the disqualification of these 10 MLAs. If you want to return, come back,” he said.&nbsp;Banerjee also confirmed that TMC will press for a hearing on the 17th, calling the party's case strong on merit, and dismissed the rival camp's newly fielded candidate — contesting on the symbol Mamata Banerjee retained — as a betrayal from a leader few expected to turn “traitor”.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tech-stocks-fall-after-ai-bosses-call-for-a-slowdown-in-reckless-progress-1789387989365">Tech stocks fall after AI bosses call for a slowdown in ‘reckless’ progress</a><h2>The parallel fight in Parliament</h2>&nbsp;The Assembly petition mirrors an earlier split in the Lok Sabha. On June 14, twenty dissident TMC MPs merged with the little-known NCPI and threw their support behind the NDA, a rebellion that has kept Bengal’s anti-defection questions alive ever since.&nbsp;Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, who confirmed the move on Monday, said the two-thirds threshold shields the group from disqualification. Three others — Abu Taher Khan, Khalilur Rahaman and Yusuf Pathan — will not go for formal BJP membership given the political sensitivities of their constituencies, and will instead back the NDA from outside, possibly with “important responsibilities or portfolios,” Basunia said.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/want-to-reset-ties-with-india-have-engagement-based-on-mutual-interests-says-bangladesh-minister-1789326034045">‘Want to reset ties with India, have engagement based on mutual interests,’ says Bangladesh minister</a>&nbsp;Banerjee, reacting to this, accused the BJP of using the group and being reluctant to actually absorb them, and suggested the party’s Muslim MPs specifically were being sidelined in the process.&nbsp;<h2>BJP keeps NCPI at arm’s length in civic polls</h2>&nbsp;With Kolkata and Howrah civic elections approaching, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has ruled out any alliance with the NCPI, saying the BJP would contest alone and aim for a two-thirds majority in both civic bodies on its own strength.&nbsp;“NCPI is an ally of NDA. In West Bengal, BJP will go alone. We will secure a two-thirds majority in the Howrah and Kolkata civic bodies on our strength,” Bhattacharya told reporters.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-tells-ukraine-to-stop-targeting-russian-refineries-says-attacks-causing-shortage-of-diesel-1789316749492">Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel</a>&nbsp;That contradicts NCPI's own position. Party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said his outfit intends to contest the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls as part of the NDA, claiming senior BJP leaders had confirmed as much.&nbsp;Banerjee dismissed the credibility of the rebel MPs on this front too, pointing to Bandyopadhyay's family's electoral record and challenging the breakaway group of 20 to first win even a single councillor's seat before claiming any real mandate.&nbsp;The contradiction between the state BJP chief’s “going alone” stance and NCPI’s claim of an NDA ticket remains unresolved — much like the disqualification pleas pending before the Speaker, both in Delhi and Kolkata.

The Assembly petition of Trinamool Congress mirrors an earlier split in the Lok Sabha. On June 14, twenty dissident TMC MPs quit TMC and merged with the little-known NCPI and threw their support behind the NDA.

The Trinamool Congress has escalated its battle against the Ritabrata Banerjee camp by filing a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court accusing the West Bengal Assembly Speaker of sitting on disqualification pleas against rebel MLAs even as 17 of the 20 breakaway TMC MPs who joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI) earlier this year are now preparing to formally cross over to the BJP around Durga Puja. The SLP, filed by Shobhandeb Chattopadhyay, names 10 MLAs: Ritabrata Banerjee, Arup Roy, Firhad Hakim, Sandipan Saha, Akhruzzaman, Shiuli Saha, Sabina Yasmin, Biplab Mitra, Javed Khan and Rathin Ghosh. Party MP Kalyan Banerjee said this is only the opening move, leaving the door open for the rest of the rebel camp. “We have given you some oxygen. First, we will seek the disqualification of these 10 MLAs. If you want to return, come back,” he said. Banerjee also confirmed that TMC will press for a hearing on the 17th, calling the party's case strong on merit, and dismissed the rival camp's newly fielded candidate — contesting on the symbol Mamata Banerjee retained — as a betrayal from a leader few expected to turn “traitor”. Also Read: Tech stocks fall after AI bosses call for a slowdown in ‘reckless’ progress The parallel fight in Parliament The Assembly petition mirrors an earlier split in the Lok Sabha. On June 14, twenty dissident TMC MPs merged with the little-known NCPI and threw their support behind the NDA, a rebellion that has kept Bengal’s anti-defection questions alive ever since. Cooch Behar MP Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia, who confirmed the move on Monday, said the two-thirds threshold shields the group from disqualification. Three others — Abu Taher Khan, Khalilur Rahaman and Yusuf Pathan — will not go for formal BJP membership given the political sensitivities of their constituencies, and will instead back the NDA from outside, possibly with “important responsibilities or portfolios,” Basunia said. Also Read: ‘Want to reset ties with India, have engagement based on mutual interests,’ says Bangladesh minister Banerjee, reacting to this, accused the BJP of using the group and being reluctant to actually absorb them, and suggested the party’s Muslim MPs specifically were being sidelined in the process. BJP keeps NCPI at arm’s length in civic polls With Kolkata and Howrah civic elections approaching, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has ruled out any alliance with the NCPI, saying the BJP would contest alone and aim for a two-thirds majority in both civic bodies on its own strength. “NCPI is an ally of NDA. In West Bengal, BJP will go alone. We will secure a two-thirds majority in the Howrah and Kolkata civic bodies on our strength,” Bhattacharya told reporters. Also Read: Trump tells Ukraine to stop targeting Russian refineries, says attacks causing shortage of diesel That contradicts NCPI's own position. Party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay said his outfit intends to contest the Kolkata Municipal Corporation polls as part of the NDA, claiming senior BJP leaders had confirmed as much. Banerjee dismissed the credibility of the rebel MPs on this front too, pointing to Bandyopadhyay's family's electoral record and challenging the breakaway group of 20 to first win even a single councillor's seat before claiming any real mandate. The contradiction between the state BJP chief’s “going alone” stance and NCPI’s claim of an NDA ticket remains unresolved — much like the disqualification pleas pending before the Speaker, both in Delhi and Kolkata.

The Assembly petition of Trinamool Congress mirrors an earlier split in the Lok Sabha. On June 14, twenty dissident TMC MPs quit TMC and merged with the little-known NCPI and threw their support behind the NDA.

TMC moves Supreme Court on MLAs as majority of NCPI MPs prepare for BJP switch

Buried inside the 45-page New Delhi Declaration is a wager: that climate resilience sells better to a fractious bloc of eleven nations when it's framed as economics rather than environmentalism.&nbsp;That reading came up again and again as analysts picked through the document this week. "What is interesting about the declaration, apart from its inordinate length, is that it is profoundly multilateral," said Rathin Roy, an economic advisor and dean at GITAM School of Humanities and Social Sciences.&nbsp;He pointed out that wherever climate change appears in the text, the word "including" tends to come first.&nbsp;"So this is sustainable development, including climate. They are weaving in a broader lens." Roy also noted something missing entirely: the phrase "net zero," a staple of European climate diplomacy, doesn't appear once. "The framing is profoundly different from the way the Europeans framed the climate change problem," he said.&nbsp;The declaration takes a direct shot at the EU's carbon border tax, calling such measures "unilateral, punitive, discriminatory and protectionist." Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, called this a deliberate stance.&nbsp;&nbsp;"BRICS is determined to chart its own course on climate and energy, one that emphasizes the alignment of development and decarbonization rather than treating them as competing priorities," he said, adding that the bloc's insistence on keeping fossil fuels in the mix for developing economies "signals that these leading Global South countries intend to define the terms of their own energy transition."&nbsp;Ambassador Manjeev Puri of The Energy and Resources Institute framed the summit itself as an act of endurance. "It is important that all these nations, who may have political disagreements, have stood together in unity on the critical issues of development and sustainability," he said, citing shared pushback against unilateralism and renewed work on cross-border payments and supply chains.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/differences-should-not-become-disputes-modi-xi-stress-long-term-india-china-ties-during-bilateral-talks-1789223230359">‘Differences should not become disputes’: Modi, Xi stress long term India-China ties during bilateral talks</a>&nbsp;Disaster preparedness got specific attention. Ulka Kelkar of WRI India welcomed new voluntary principles requiring climate risk to be built into land-use planning, along with a proposed BRICS Insurance Resilience Centre. "This would be crucial to prevent maladaptation," she said, adding that BRICS nations are increasingly climate finance donors, not just recipients.&nbsp;On energy manufacturing, Subrahmanyam Pulipaka, CEO of the National Solar Energy Federation of India, pointed to scale: BRICS nations already hold more than half the world's installed renewable capacity, he said, and a proposed Solar Photovoltaic Cooperation Roadmap "provides an important opportunity to translate this scale into deeper industrial cooperation."&nbsp;Climate researcher Archana Chaudhary summed up the shift: "It does not treat climate resilience as a standalone environmental issue. It places it inside a wider argument about economic resilience, industrial capacity, trade, finance and national policy space."&nbsp;Whether that argument survives contact with rising debt burdens and diverging national interests, analysts said, is next year's question.

The New Delhi Declaration places climate resilience within BRICS' broader economic, trade, energy and development agenda, emphasising climate action alongside industrial growth, finance and national policy priorities.

Buried inside the 45-page New Delhi Declaration is a wager: that climate resilience sells better to a fractious bloc of eleven nations when it's framed as economics rather than environmentalism. That reading came up again and again as analysts picked through the document this week. "What is interesting about the declaration, apart from its inordinate length, is that it is profoundly multilateral," said Rathin Roy, an economic advisor and dean at GITAM School of Humanities and Social Sciences. He pointed out that wherever climate change appears in the text, the word "including" tends to come first. "So this is sustainable development, including climate. They are weaving in a broader lens." Roy also noted something missing entirely: the phrase "net zero," a staple of European climate diplomacy, doesn't appear once. "The framing is profoundly different from the way the Europeans framed the climate change problem," he said. The declaration takes a direct shot at the EU's carbon border tax, calling such measures "unilateral, punitive, discriminatory and protectionist." Li Shuo, director of the China Climate Hub at the Asia Society Policy Institute, called this a deliberate stance. "BRICS is determined to chart its own course on climate and energy, one that emphasizes the alignment of development and decarbonization rather than treating them as competing priorities," he said, adding that the bloc's insistence on keeping fossil fuels in the mix for developing economies "signals that these leading Global South countries intend to define the terms of their own energy transition." Ambassador Manjeev Puri of The Energy and Resources Institute framed the summit itself as an act of endurance. "It is important that all these nations, who may have political disagreements, have stood together in unity on the critical issues of development and sustainability," he said, citing shared pushback against unilateralism and renewed work on cross-border payments and supply chains. Also Read: ‘Differences should not become disputes’: Modi, Xi stress long term India-China ties during bilateral talks Disaster preparedness got specific attention. Ulka Kelkar of WRI India welcomed new voluntary principles requiring climate risk to be built into land-use planning, along with a proposed BRICS Insurance Resilience Centre. "This would be crucial to prevent maladaptation," she said, adding that BRICS nations are increasingly climate finance donors, not just recipients. On energy manufacturing, Subrahmanyam Pulipaka, CEO of the National Solar Energy Federation of India, pointed to scale: BRICS nations already hold more than half the world's installed renewable capacity, he said, and a proposed Solar Photovoltaic Cooperation Roadmap "provides an important opportunity to translate this scale into deeper industrial cooperation." Climate researcher Archana Chaudhary summed up the shift: "It does not treat climate resilience as a standalone environmental issue. It places it inside a wider argument about economic resilience, industrial capacity, trade, finance and national policy space." Whether that argument survives contact with rising debt burdens and diverging national interests, analysts said, is next year's question.

The New Delhi Declaration places climate resilience within BRICS' broader economic, trade, energy and development agenda, emphasising climate action alongside industrial growth, finance and national policy priorities.

BRICS stitches climate into its trade and growth agenda, experts say

Japan is looking to deepen its economic engagement with West Bengal, with Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kunimitsu Ayano meeting state Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Minister Tapas Roy in Kolkata on Friday.&nbsp;Ms. Ayano&nbsp;led a six-member delegation, including officials from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Japan’s Consul-General in Kolkata Yoshihisa Ishikawa. The discussions focused on Japanese investment, trade, renewable energy and better connectivity between Bengal and Japan.&nbsp;Speaking to the media after the meeting, Tapas Roy said, “Japan is very interested in investing in West Bengal. We discussed how we can remove the hurdles faced by Japanese companies and create a more business-friendly environment.”&nbsp;The minister said the two sides also discussed renewable and non-conventional energy, electricity tariffs and the possibility of direct air connectivity between West Bengal and Japan.&nbsp;&nbsp;Mr. Roy added that the state expects the engagement to translate into greater trade and investment, particularly in manufacturing and infrastructure.&nbsp;The two sides also discussed plans to mark 25 years of India-Japan diplomatic and cultural ties in 2027, with cultural programmes, performances and food showcases being considered.&nbsp;This comes two months after Japan's PM Sanae Takaichi's New Delhi visit, where Tokyo flagged eastern India — Bengal, Assam, the Northeast — as key to its Indo-Pacific strategy. Analysts see Japan eyeing the Bay of Bengal as one economic corridor linking South Asia to Southeast Asia. &nbsp;

The discussions focused on Japanese investment, trade, renewable energy and better connectivity between Bengal and Japan.

Japan is looking to deepen its economic engagement with West Bengal, with Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Kunimitsu Ayano meeting state Industry, Commerce and Enterprises Minister Tapas Roy in Kolkata on Friday. Ms. Ayano led a six-member delegation, including officials from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Japan’s Consul-General in Kolkata Yoshihisa Ishikawa. The discussions focused on Japanese investment, trade, renewable energy and better connectivity between Bengal and Japan. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Tapas Roy said, “Japan is very interested in investing in West Bengal. We discussed how we can remove the hurdles faced by Japanese companies and create a more business-friendly environment.” The minister said the two sides also discussed renewable and non-conventional energy, electricity tariffs and the possibility of direct air connectivity between West Bengal and Japan. Mr. Roy added that the state expects the engagement to translate into greater trade and investment, particularly in manufacturing and infrastructure. The two sides also discussed plans to mark 25 years of India-Japan diplomatic and cultural ties in 2027, with cultural programmes, performances and food showcases being considered. This comes two months after Japan's PM Sanae Takaichi's New Delhi visit, where Tokyo flagged eastern India — Bengal, Assam, the Northeast — as key to its Indo-Pacific strategy. Analysts see Japan eyeing the Bay of Bengal as one economic corridor linking South Asia to Southeast Asia.

The discussions focused on Japanese investment, trade, renewable energy and better connectivity between Bengal and Japan.

Tokyo Turns East: Japan Pitches Bigger Investment Push in West Bengal

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